Automobile bumper



Oct. 9, 1925?n w. E. DUNsToN AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Aug. 27, 1925 Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

u 1\u' rED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WAYNE n. nUNs'rON, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNonrmo THE c. e.' srnING .sa

vBUNIIER COMPANY, yOF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AAU'I'IOIVIOBILE BUMPER.

Appueationfnlea August-27, 1923. serial 1ra-659,483.

vThis invention relates generally to automobile bumpers and more particularly-to cert-ain improvements inthe pivot clamp connection between such bumpers and the supporting 5 arms forthe same. i The `object ofthe invention is to provide a simple 'and easily Operated and thoroughly efficient means for fastening the bumper bar inthe stirruplcarried at the forward end of the supporting arm7 and one which can be adjusted and secured been positioned in the stirrup. Y r f Y mother object is to provide a fastening means of such construction. that it can be quickly and easily released, to a limited extent, .without removal from the. stirrup; to permit the lateral adjustment of the bumper barwith reference to the supporting arm, and a still further Objectis to provide a wedging means which can'be made of stamped sheet metalfand in which similar complementary members are employed, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the device.

`Other objects will appear as' th tion proceeds. .f v

The invention consists in providing al suitable'wedging meanswithin the stirrup, between the bumper bar andthe end of .the supporting arm, whereby the bumper bar can 3o be locked securely tosaid stirrup andarm.

The inventionfconsists'also in'providing two similarly shaped'wedge members with Openingsso positioned that, whenl the'members are arranged within the stirrup and vin overlapped vengagement Vwith each other, a

single clamping'boltcan be passed therethrough for the purpose Aof expanding said wedge members intoengagement with'the' supporting arm and bumperbar arranged descrip- '4.0'` in the stirrup.

The invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of com`-,`

bination hereinafter fully described and set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings formingy a part fof 'this specification, Fig. 1l is a plan view of a bumper securedby a pivot clamp 'constructed in accordance'withvmy invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of thev stirrup, with the bumper bar therein, as wel] as the eXpandafter the bumper has the bumper bar within the'stirrup,

l 17 slightly of center,

, passed directly ing wedges and the bolt for expanding' the same; Fig. 3 is a view in'perspective showing the manner of arranging lthe wedge'members together; Fig. 4 isan elevation of thev end of the supportingA arm, stirrup and wedges, thebumper bar being shown in section; and Fig. 5 is al sectional view of the stirrup and wedge members, the bumper bar being shown in elevation.

Referringto the drawings, 10'indicates the 60 i frame members of an automobile and 11 the supporting arms rigidly connected to said frame members and projecting forwardlyy vtherefrom,each supporting arm terminating in an eye l2 at the forward end. rConnected 35 to each supporting arml at the forward end is a stirrup 13 comprising a front member and top and bottom zmembers, said-top andl bottom members being apertured for the passage of a bolt 14 for the purpose of pivotally con- 70k necting the stirrup to the lsupporti-ng arm; located within the stirrup is the rear or auxiliary bar 15 ofthe bumper. This rbumper bar contacts vwith the Ainner or rear face of tho-frontside of the stirrup and, s forv the purposeof securely fastening I employ two similar wedge membersl, preferably of y stamped metal, and by making the openings it will bereadily seen that; by overlapping'tho members, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the clampingV bolt 18 can be throughithe wedge members, and byf'means of a nut19 said members'can be brought together and their wedge-1 faces 16n a5V riding against the eye of the supporting arm will Vcause the bumper bar .to be securely locked within the stirrup,jinasmuch as the straight rfaces of the wedgemembers contact with and ride upon the innr face 0f the o bumper bar. Y Y

If desired,fa blockv'could be interposed between the eye of the supporting arm and the wedge members, but such additional member would not be absolutely'necessary, as a full 95 and completey wedge action can be hadfrom the contact between the wedge faces of the member 16 and such eye. By havingr the wedge members similar and complementary, only one form Offstamping will be necessary and it will be immaterial how the members are arranged with reference to each ot-her, as the openings l? will be brought into alignment when the members are overlapped, inasmuch as the openings are placed olf center a distance equal to the thickness of the metalv from which the wedges are'formed.

In operation the stirrupwill be placed uponV the bumper bar l before said stirrup isattached to the eye of the supporting arm and the wedge members can then be arranged and expanded for the purpose of locking the bumper bar and stirrup together; and should lateral adjustment be desired, it can be readily obtained by loosening up the clamping bolt, permitting the separation ofthe wedge members, and the bumper bar can then be shifted laterally in either direction, and then, by'

tightening up the clamping bolt and nut, the wedges are once more 'securely fastened between the bumper bar. and eye ofthe supporting arm, thereby securely fastening the bumper bar within the stirrup.

' By means of the construct-ion herein shownl and described a rigid and positive connection is had between the stirrup, bumper bar and forward end of the supporting arm.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is i y Y l. The combination, with a support terminating in an eye, of a stirrup connected thereto, a bumper bar arranged within the stirrup, and complementary wedge members arranged lwithin the stirrup and adapted to engage the bumper bar and eye, together with means for moving said wedge members.

2. The combination, with a support terminating in an eye, of a stirrup connected' thereto, a bumper bar arranged within the stirrup, and complementary wedge members arranged within the stirrup in overlapping engagement with each other, together with means for bringing said members together and wedging them between the eye and the bumper bar.`

3. ln aclamp for clamping a bar to a support, the combination with a continuous stirrup adapted to bear at its end portions upon the edges of the support, of a wedge adapted to bear upon` the bar and the support, and means for actuating said wedge.

4. In ya clamp for clamping a bar to a support, the combination with a continuous stirrup adapted to Ibear at its end portions upon the edges of the support, of a wedge adapted to bear uponrthe bar and the support,'and means for actuating said wedge, said means including a bolt passing through said wedge.

v5. In a clamp for clamping a bar to a support, the combination with a continuous stirrupadapted to bear at its end portions upon the edges of the support,'of a pair of oppov sitely directed wedges adapted to bear upon the bar and the support,'and clamping means for drawing said wedges toward each. other.

6. A pivot clamp for clamping a bar to a support, said clamp including a stirrup pivotally connected at its end portions to the support and adapted to bear upon the edges of the same, a wedge adapted to bear'upon the support and lthe bar, and means separate from said stirrup for actuating said wedge.

7. A pivot clamp for clamping a bar to a support, said clamp including a stirrup .piVr otally connected at its end' portions to the support and adapted to bear upon the edges of the same, a pair of oppositely directed wedges adapted to bear upon the support and the bar, and clamping means for drawing said wedges toward each other.

8; The combination withl a bumper-bar and aI support armfor said.bar,-of a clam plate, adapted to bearl upon the outer surace of said bar and be attachedto said. support, a

substantially U-shaped wedge adapted tov eXtend between and bear upon the? bar and the support arm, said wedge.

9. The combination with a bumper bar and a supporttherefon-of a plate adapted to bear upon the outer surface of the bumpery bar and to be attached at its innerend p0rtions to said support, a pair ofkoppositely disposed wedge membersadapted to. extend between and bear upon the support andburnper bar, and means for drawing said' wedge members toward each other.

and means forv actuating l0. The combination with a lbumper. bar?- and a support vtherefor terminating in'an eye, of a stirrup lpivotally connectedtosaidv eye and adapted to embrace .a portionof said bar, a pair of oppositely disposed wedge members having inclined surfaces adapted to bear upon said eye, and means for drawing said wedge members together. Y

11. The' combination with a bumperfbar and a support therefor, ofl a plate adaptedto bear u-pon the outer surface' of the said bar and to-be connected at its inner end portions, to the support, a 'pair' of oppositely directed substantially U-shaped wedge members' adapted to pass between and bear upon the support arm and the 'said bar, andv means for drawing-said wedge members toward each other.

- 12. The combination with a bumper bar and a support therefor, of a plate adapted to 13. The combination with a bumper bar anda support therefor, of a plate adapted to embrace a'portion of the bumper bar' and to` y be connected at Yits inner end portions to said support, a wedge member adapted tosepas rate the support from the bumper bar, and portions partially enclosing the said bumper means, passing through said Wedge member, bar, a Wedge between said bar and said supor actuating the same. port, and 'means separate from said clamp for 10 14:. The combination With a bumper bar actuating said wedge. 5 and a support therefor, of av clamp having In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiX my inner end portions clamped .against the end signature.

portion of the support and having outer end WAYNE E. DUNSTON. 

